Many people on Twitter found the unpaid internship disingenuous considering Schumer has supported the idea of a $15 minimum wage.

In an op-ed for the New York Times, Schumer heralded the idea of a minimum wage increase to $15 as part of the “Better Deal” initiative from Democrats.

As Mic notes, it is not unusual for members of Congress not to pay interns—however, several members of Congress do pay interns. Earlier this summer the Timesreported that there was a proposal to allocate $5 million for paying interns in the Senate.

Schumer’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment by the Daily Dot.

The idea of Schumer not paying interns was not met well with people on Twitter.

This is why holding democratic leadership accountable is a far cry from "divisive," it is absolutely imperative.

These practices need to be called out and plowed under, particularly in a party that claims to stand for progressive values. https://t.co/CnsFsAW39Z

This is correct. The Democratic leader in the Senate should be setting the example. Unpaid internships benefit children with wealthy parents who can afford to live in DC with no income. We need to do better. https://t.co/rLjpSsC3Wj

Andrew Wyrich is a politics staff writer for the Daily Dot, covering the intersection of politics and the internet. Andrew has written for USA Today, NorthJersey.com, and other newspapers and websites. His work has been recognized by the Society of the Silurians, Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE), and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).